


Evaluation

by Avirra



Series: An Unholy Alliance [11]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: Mirror Universe
Genre: Gen, Mirror Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-18
Updated: 2013-07-18
Packaged: 2017-12-20 13:48:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/887990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avirra/pseuds/Avirra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spock quizzes Kirk and McCoy to detect signs of cheating.  One of them proves to know more than expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Evaluation

**Author's Note:**

> As a note, in my version of the Mirror-verse, the emphasis is on political maneuvering and manipulation rather than on violence and sex - though violence and sex are both certainly have their places (nothing overly graphic). Think in terms of more Machiavelli and less Caligula. Some cursing is also present.

Spending the entire afternoon with Kirk and McCoy did end up as fascinating for Spock. Also immensely frustrating, but eventually illuminating.

As Pike had promised, both men were brilliant though they expressed it in different ways. Kirk's mind was like quicksilver, grasping knowledge at an almost instinctive level and then making intuitive, yet accurate, leaps with it at speeds that were impressive even by Vulcan standards. McCoy took in knowledge far more methodically, but at a speed only slightly less than Kirk.

One point of intrigue was how each man reacted to being doubted. McCoy was emotive, argumentative and a bit vulgar, but Kirk was the ice to McCoy's heat. Had anyone simply described the two men to him, Spock would have made the assumption that they would not have been able to cooperate well. While Spock acknowledged that would have been an entirely wrong thought, he still wasn't able to comprehend how that pair was not only able to cooperate, but go beyond that to complimenting one another's strengths.

After a short session of quizzing the two of them jointly, Spock took Kirk into another room. Not only did Kirk answer any question on the subject matter that Spock came up with, but he expounded further than the scope of the questions and even showed understanding of material that hadn't been covered in the classes yet. After a few questions, Spock was satisfied.

"Very well, Cadet Kirk. You have shown not only personal knowledge of the material, but knowledge at a deeper level than required. Remain here. I will return after speaking with Cadet McCoy."

"Take your time. He knows it as well as I do, though I think he believes over half of it is a waste of time for a doctor to learn."

"Indeed? We shall see about that."

To Spock, McCoy was the real enigma between the two. One of the classes Kirk and McCoy shared was in protocol for first contact, so Spock decided to start there.

"Are you prepared to begin?"

He wasn't sure he cared for the casual way McCoy seemed to be treating the situation.

"Ready."

"Cadet McCoy, what is the proper way to classify a newly found race?"

"There isn't one."

Spock gave McCoy a speculative look with what might have been a trace of a disapproving frown.

"This is hardly the way to show me that you know your lessons without Cadet Kirk being present."

"If you meant to ask me how the book says to do it, we follow the Prime Directive and make an examination of a representative sample of the population before classifying them according to their usefulness to the Empire. You didn't ask that. You asked what the proper way is and, since that doesn't exist, my answer was perfectly valid."

"Indeed? What then would you consider to be a valid method?"

"A longer evaluation period for one. Who knows how many medical breakthroughs have been missed because no one questioned a medicinal plant used? How many power sources as good or perhaps better than dilithium crystals have been missed because of hasty decisions? The current evaluation method looks only at immediate returns, not at future ones. To me, that would be like burning down a field of corn today because the ears won't be ready until next week. Waste, Lieutenant Commander Spock. I can't abide waste."

On one hand, Spock could see the point McCoy was making, but on the other hand, he was only a cadet and he was questioning Imperial policies.

"And what of the waste of time should a planet prove not to be a field of corn, but rather a desert?"

By the sly smile starting to form on McCoy's face, Spock knew that he had somehow given McCoy ammunition.

"Why, Lieutenant Commander Spock - I hear tell that Vulcan might be considered a bit of a desert. Surely you don't consider the many assets of that planet to have not been worth the Empire's time?"

Spock was unsure which bothered him more - that McCoy had made another valid point or that he knew something of Vulcan. By and large, his father's people did their best to keep details of their home planet out of general public knowledge. It left him in a quandary - did he question McCoy to find out where he obtained that knowledge and thus validate that it was accurate or overlook it. Overlooking it had the disadvantage of not allowing him to probe to see what else McCoy might know.

It was really no contest in the end. However much he might wish it to be otherwise, Spock's curiosity wasn't going to let the questions in his mind lie. There was the temptation to make use of his mental abilities and simply pry the information from McCoy's mind, but he hesitated to take that step knowing there was a connection between Pike and McCoy. Spock wanted to be a member of the Enterprise crew as badly as he had ever wanted anything. To have a position on what was to be the jewel of the Imperial fleet was a special kind of validation. Others might not view the desire to rub success into the noses of their doubters as logical, but Spock acknowledged that he was not perfect. At least to himself.

That left the only the direct approach. Or perhaps Spock could try a method he had once seem Captain Pike make use of. Fortunately, Spock had been able to run through all of his options in a matter of seconds, so there was no long pause before he responded to McCoy.

"I am not sure where you have come by your information, but I would not advise that you consider it valid."

His statement didn't seem to bother McCoy in the least.

"Really now? You know, I bet that Vulcan lady would be a bit put out if she knew you were here calling her a liar."

Mentally, Spock froze at that statement. There was very little direct contact between Vulcan and Earth and, so far as he was aware, only one Vulcan female had ever visited Earth in recent years. Relations between the Emperor and Vulcan had been strained when she turned down the Emperor's invitation to become one of his ministers.

Voice tight, Spock spoke so softly that McCoy could barely make out the words.

"Tell me her name."

McCoy paused, then gestured at the communicator on Spock's belt. Spock immediately realized that McCoy was asking for a scrambling field that would interrupt any attempts at mechanical eavesdropping. He adjusted the unit quickly, then gave McCoy an impatient stare. McCoy nodded and answered.

"Her name was T'Pau. Nice lady. Meeting her caused me no end of grief when I got older, but hell, neither of us knew that would happen, so I don't have any hard feelings."

"How long ago was this?"

"Oh, years back. I was just a kid. My father used to drag me along as a really cheap assistant and he'd been called in because Terran food wasn't agreeing with her. He was one of the top gastrointestinal specialists and the only one among those that were currently planet side with any actual experience dealing with a non-Terran race."

There was a thoughtful look on McCoy's face as he drew up his memories.

"I could tell she really didn't like being there. Outside of what she had to say to communicate her symptoms, she wouldn't talk to any of the adults, but I ended up being left alone with her while my father was running tests and consulting with other doctors. When it was just the two of us, she'd speak. She was lonely, I expect - and I was only around five or six years old. Guess that made me safe for her to talk to. She'd talk about Vulcan - the sands and the heat. Kept mentioning how chilly it was here. And how much she missed watching the sunsets back home."

"Did she mention missing watching the moon rise?"

That slight smile formed on McCoy's face again.

"You know as well as I do that Vulcan doesn't have a moon. Come on, Lieutenant Commander - why would she have bothered to lie to a kid about something like that? If you need further proof, I could tell you approximately where your major internal organs are and the basic components of your blood."

Everything in McCoy's story fit with the facts of T'Pau's visit to Earth that he knew of. When he considered the amount information that McCoy had retained from that visit even at his young age, Spock again recalled what Pike had said about their aptitude levels.

"That will not be necessary."

Leaning back a bit in his chair, McCoy's drawl became a shade more pronounced.

"Not that most of what we just covered was actual classroom material, but have I proved that I've got enough brains to pass my tests on my own merits?"

"You have. Tell me something, Cadet. I have not heard of what you know of Vulcans to be common knowledge."

"That would be because it isn't common knowledge. You didn't know my father, but one thing he taught me? Too many folks know what you know and suddenly, you aren't necessary any more."

"You speak of him in the past tense?"

"He's dead, if that's what you're asking."

It took Spock a moment to search his memory for the proper human expression.

"I am sorry for your loss."

"Why? I wasn't."

Having had difficulties with his own father, Spock felt as if he could sympathize with that remark. Which bothered him. He had not been looking to make any sort of connection with either cadet, but had found himself at least partially understanding both of them. He wondered if Pike had expected that and, if that were the case, if that had been the reason for his signs of amusement.

That would be something he would think on during his meditations that evening. After all, Captain Pike did inform him that everything he did was for a reason. And he had allowed this testing to take place even though he was already quite aware that both men would pass it. With that in mind, he addressed McCoy again.

"As both you and Cadet Kirk have demonstrated your grasp of your studies, I see no need for the insistence that the two of you be separated during classes. You will find Cadet Kirk in the third room down the hall. You are both dismissed and will be expected to attend your next class at 1400 hours."

Spock continued to stand by the door, watching as McCoy exited and collected Kirk from the other room before the pair left side by side, already joking with one another before reaching the end of the hall.

Deciding that it might be an advantageous time to view the record jackets on Kirk and McCoy, Spock left the building himself and headed for Records Administration. Unless Pike were to change his mind - which Spock viewed as highly unlikely - Spock was going to be dealing with Kirk and McCoy a great deal more in the future.


End file.
